MLB Topics

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Maybe they all feel as John Faye, the Reds Beat writer:

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2012/12/31/exercising-my-right-not-to-vote/

Cincinnati Reds

I simply can’t do it. I put off mailing in my 2013 Hall of Fame ballot until today’s deadline.

It will not be sent.

I’d rather abstain than play judge and jury this year. The two most deserving players statistically of the 37 on the ballot are Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Bonds was the best hitter I’ve seen. Clemens was the most dominant pitcher.

Abstaining doesn't affect the outcome as much as mailing a blank ballot like some were reported to have done.

In case anyone missed it, Aaron Sele received one vote for Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. Take a minute and let that sink in.

I see your point since it is on a percentage scale.

[OshDude]

Maybe they all feel as John Faye, the Reds Beat writer:

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2012/12/31/exercising-my-right-not-to-vote/

Cincinnati Reds

I simply can’t do it. I put off mailing in my 2013 Hall of Fame ballot until today’s deadline.

It will not be sent.

I’d rather abstain than play judge and jury this year. The two most deserving players statistically of the 37 on the ballot are Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Bonds was the best hitter I’ve seen. Clemens was the most dominant pitcher.

Abstaining doesn't affect the outcome as much as mailing a blank ballot like some were reported to have done.

In case anyone missed it, Aaron Sele received one vote for Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. Take a minute and let that sink in.

A debt repaid?

Possibly. The end of the voting results catches my attention every year. It's nothing new for someone to get a token vote – Benito Santiago and Danny Tartabull are two out-there ones off the top of my head – but Aaron Sele is a player I had not thought about in years. Seems like more than five years anyway.

[Ralph Turner]

Maybe they all feel as John Faye, the Reds Beat writer:

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2012/12/31/exercising-my-right-not-to-vote/

Cincinnati Reds

I simply can’t do it. I put off mailing in my 2013 Hall of Fame ballot until today’s deadline.

It will not be sent.

I’d rather abstain than play judge and jury this year. The two most deserving players statistically of the 37 on the ballot are Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Bonds was the best hitter I’ve seen. Clemens was the most dominant pitcher.

Abstaining doesn't affect the outcome as much as mailing a blank ballot like some were reported to have done.

In case anyone missed it, Aaron Sele received one vote for Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. Take a minute and let that sink in.

A debt repaid?

Possibly. The end of the voting results catches my attention every year. It's nothing new for someone to get a token vote – Benito Santiago and Danny Tartabull are two out-there ones off the top of my head – but Aaron Sele is a player I had not thought about in years. Seems like more than five years anyway.

I can imagine a favor that Aaron had done for a sportswriter many years ago, e.g., an autographed baseball for a sportswriter's loved one, some kid in a children's hospital.  The HoF vote cast would serve as the tip-of-the-cap from the grateful sportswriter.

[Mr. Ypsi]

HoF manager Earl Weaver has died at 82.  Hope he doesn't argue so strenuously with God that he gets ejected!

[BBFan62]

HoF manager Earl Weaver has died at 82.  Hope he doesn't argue so strenuously with God that he gets ejected!

Sad day in baseball as Stan 'The Man" Musial (age 92) joins Earl Weaver vying for a spot on the after life team. Even though you killed the Cubs, I admired your skills Mr. Musial. You were among the classiest players ever.

[Ralph Turner]

Stan the Man's Obituary

[Ralph Turner]

Not sure where to put this article about the newest attraction at the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs stadium this season...

Coming to a ball park near you soon

[Mr. Ypsi]

Could we be witnesses to the greatest hitting season ever?

Miguel Cabrera, a notoriously slow starter who usually heats up later in the season, is WAY ahead of his Triple Crown season stats:  exactly 1/3 of the way thru the season, he is hitting .369, and is on pace for 51 HRs and an all-time record 195 RBIs.  IF he follows past seasons and heats up, watch out: he could obliterate the RBI record, beat the (non-steroid) HR record, and hit who knows what?!

Stay tuned.

[Bombers798891]

Could we be witnesses to the greatest hitting season ever?

Miguel Cabrera, a notoriously slow starter who usually heats up later in the season

Stay tuned.

This is not true. Cabrera's career splits:

1st half: .320/.396/.564 1 HR every 20.2 PA
2nd half: .320/.398/.565 1 HR every 19.5 PA

For his career, he has hit between 53 and 59 HR's every month of the season.

And how's this for eerie?

Cabrera at home: 200 2B, 7 3B, 170 HR
Cabrera on road: 201 2B, 7 3B, 169 HR

He's pretty much just awesome at hitting all the time.

As for the greatest ever? No. Gehrig ('34 and '36) and Ruth (Every year from 1920 to 1932 except '22 and '25) would be higher on my list, as would Ted Williams' 1941 and Musial's 1948. But in the last 50 years? You might be onto something—provided we take out A-Rod's/Bonds' peak seasons

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thanks for looking that up - I stand corrected.  I was probably overreacting to last year, when as of June I don't think he was even leading the Tigers in any of the Triple Crown categories.  By his standards, he's mired in a 2-week slump: while still leading the majors in both categories, his BA has fallen 30 points and his RBI pace has fallen from a record 195 to a 'mere' 178!

[Bombers798891]

Thanks for looking that up - I stand corrected.  I was probably overreacting to last year, when as of June I don't think he was even leading the Tigers in any of the Triple Crown categories.  By his standards, he's mired in a 2-week slump: while still leading the majors in both categories, his BA has fallen 30 points and his RBI pace has fallen from a record 195 to a 'mere' 178!

RBIs are fickle, since they depend more on other players than they do the hitter himself. And it's just really hard to maintain a super high batting average unless you walk a ton or have great speed.